Congratulations to the new PhD  Lina Grundulaitė on successfully defending her doctoral dissertation “Narrative Learning of NGO Staff Working With Asylum-Seeking Foreigners” (Education Scence (S 007)) and  obtaining  PhD  deegree of Education in the field of Social Sciences, Scientific supervisor –  prof. dr. Irena Žemaitaitytė (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education Sciences, S 007) (Vilnius University).

The dissertation is available at: https://www.mruni.eu/events

A brief annotation is presented below. 

The dissertation focuses on the narrative learning of NGO staff working with foreign asylum seekers. The study is based on the theoretical and methodological frameworks of social constructionism and the interpretive paradigm. The narrative research methodology helps to reveal the narrative learning of NGO workers as a contextual and social construct. The main method of data collection was a 12-month field study in the Centre of the Foreigners’ Integration Programme of the Vilnius Archdiocese “Caritas”, where narrative interviews were conducted and ethnographic research data were collected. The data were analysed using narrative analysis models and narrative portraits of 4 NGO workers. The narrative portraits helped to reveal not only the characteristics of the expression of narrative learning in the NGOs and the role of context, but also the workers as individuals. The end of the dissertation summarises and discusses the findings of the research, interpreting what features of the expression of narrative learning emerge in the narrative portraits of the employees; how the context surrounding the employees conditions the narrative learning of the employees; and how the findings of the research extend narrative learning theory and how they are of use to working practices. The dissertation concludes with the research findings and recommendations.

Dissertation Defense Council:

Chairperson – prof. dr. Valdonė Indrašienė (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007);

Prof. dr. Rosita Deluigi (University of Macerata, Italian Republic, Social Sciences, Education, S 007);

Prof. dr Odeta Merfeldaitė (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007);

Prof. dr. Liudmila Rupšienė (Klaipėda University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007);

prof. dr. Margarita Teresevičienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007).

We are kindly remind and invite  to the XV international scientific conference “TEACHER EDUCATION IN THE XXI CENTURY: CHANGES AND PERSPECTIVES”, which will be held in  November 29,2024 at the Šiauliai Academy of Vilnius University (84 Vytauto St., Šiauliai, 205 a.).

The conference is dedicated to the scientific and practical analysis of the training and education of teachers, professional experience, changes and perspectives in Lithuania and abroad and the dissemination of interdisciplinary researches in the context of the challenges of postmodern society. The international conference will provide an opportunity for scientists, researchers and professionals in various fields to share their theoretical knowledge, research results and educational practices with colleagues and the academic community.

The conference problem issues.

Teacher (self)education and professional development.
In order to strengthen the prestige of the pedagogical profession, the relevance of scientific discussions about the experience, change and perspectives of pedagogical (self)education is emerging. New challenges for teachers presuppose the need for their continuous learning, leadership and competence development. It is becoming important to analyse the expression of teachers’ professional growth and the factors that promote their well-being. In the conditions of rapid change of society, it is expedient to discuss the tendencies of pedagogical (self)education, which allow to create an educational process based on interdisciplinary teaching and (self)learning organization,
to promote cooperation and co-creation of all participants, to implement digital educational content, to create universal design learning environment.
Challenges for the implementation of inclusive education for the training of teachers and educational support professionals.
Upon entry into force of the amendments and additions to the Law on Education of the Republic of Lithuania on September 1, 2024, it is stipulated that every child is provided with the conditions to be educated in the nearest educational institution together with his/her peers. The education system in Lithuania is based on the principle of inclusion, when conditions are created for each person to self-educate, develop their powers and abilities, receive the necessary help, experience success while learning in social, cultural and/or other activities and not be discriminated due to the diversity of educational needs and/or education assistance needs. With increasing student diversity and achieving the goals of quality education for each learner, it is important to analyse the competencies needed for teachers and educators in the context of inclusive education, collaborating and providing personalized support focused on each learner’s success and meaningful participation in the learning process.
Competences of teacher educators and their (self)improvement. 
The professionalism of teacher educators is recognized as the most important factor in ensuring the quality of the teacher community, so it is important to analyse the values of teacher educators, strategies for working with students, assessment methods, ext. It is useful to share good practice on research-based studies, discuss how the personalization of the study program content is ensured, how the students’ age, life experience, social, cultural or linguistic environment or disability is taken into account. Therefore, in order to assess students’ existing competencies and predict in which areas they need to improve, teacher educators themselves need to have up-to-date competencies and professional development.

Conference languages: Lithuanian, English (plenary session presentations are translated into Lithuanian or English, as well as into Lithuanian sign language)
Conference venue: Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy (Vytauto St. 84, Šiauliai, Room 205) Conference certificates Certification certificates will be issued to the participants of the conference. Conference registration (until November 22, 2024)
Registration link: https://www.mokytoju-ugdymas.sa.vu.lt/en/registration-en
Conference fee* Conference fee for presenters – 20 Eur Conference fee without presentation – 15 Eur

For more information read: here

                                                                                                                                                            Information provided by Vilnius University Siauliai Academy

ithuanian Educational Research Association (LERA) and the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sports  signed a cooperation agreement

The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the Lithuanian Educational Research Association (LERA) signed a cooperation agreement. The agreement commits to developing education science and encouraging more education researchers to become involved in education policy-making. Joint activities are foreseen to strengthen educational research and to use its results to improve education policy and practice. LERA, now in its 25th year, brings together more than 300 researchers working in the field of educational research in education and training. The aim of the association is to promote educational research in Lithuania and to apply its results for the advancement of education and training.
The agreement will strengthen the partnership through joint projects and activities. The focus will be on the development of educational science, the cooperation between educational researchers and practitioners, and the involvement of educational researchers in the processes of education policy formulation and implementation, as well as on the application of educational research and its results in education policy and practice.

Photo:  Josvydas Elinskas

“The Ministry and LERA already have a nice tradition of organising presentations of the latest education theses at the beginning of each year, and from 2020 onwards we will jointly organise education forums for researchers, educators and public sector representatives. To further strengthen the relationship, we have defined our cooperation in a contract. We hope that this will encourage more education practitioners and researchers to get involved in the expert groups set up by the ministry and in the discussion of important education issues. It is only by working together with the education community that we can achieve a breakthrough in the field of education”, says Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, Minister of Education, Science, and Sport.

According to dr. Eglė Pranckūnienė, President of LERA, the public in Lithuania, as well as in other countries, is interested in a coherent and high-quality education system. “Educational research can be useful here, as it is essential for continuous reflection on educational processes, for innovation, and for effective solutions to educational policy and practice. The Association’s cooperation with the Ministry will make researchers’ insights and research results that underpin education policy more accessible to policy makers, practitioners and the public alike,” says dr. E. Pranckūnienė.

Read more: here

Congratulations to LERA President Dr. Eglė Pranckūnienė, founder of the “School Improvement Centre”, Innovation Manager, and founder of the programme “Choose to Teach!” forher outstanding pedagogical and managerial achievements, the creation, development and strengthening of the Lithuanian education system, the introduction of educational innovations and the dissemination of valuable practices on a national scale. We also congratulate prof. dr. Jonas Ruškus, Professor at the Department of Social Work, Vytautas Magnus University, for his systematic contribution to the formulation and implementation of disability-inclusive policies in research, studies and related activities, his expert work at the international, national and regional levels, and his representation of Lithuania at international level. Congratulations also to all the others who have received the Badge  of Honour award.

Foto.: Andrius Ufartas

The Badgeof Honour is the Ministry’s highest award, given to honour those who have made a special contribution to education and science. Candidates may be nominated by the heads of the Ministry and its subordinate institutions, municipal administrations, non-governmental and other organisations and institutions.
The label has been awarded since 2007 on the occasion of the foundation of the Educational Commission between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (14 October 1773).
For more information read here

Congratulation to even three educational researchers who won the 2024 LRC postdoctoral internship projects competition: Rūta Petkutė-Budrė (supervisor R. Želvys), project theme “Analysis of the Interaction Between Neoliberal Politics, Universities and Democracy: the Case of Lithuania”, Dovilė Stumbrienė (supervisor D. Jasilionis), project theme ” “European countries” Comparative Analysis of Education Systems: Regional-demographic Perspective” and LERA secretary Aida Kairienė (supervisor L. Rupšienė), project theme “Rhizomatic learning of  of scientific research methodologies among educational researchers: assemblages trajectories and  becomings”.
We wish our colleagues the best of luck!!!

LERA 2024 Conference “Education Uncertainty and Communication Challenges: the Intersection of Past and Future”

Conference programme announced! Don’t forget to register! Registration for the conference  without an announcement is open until 14 October 2024.

We are  invite education practitioners, education researchers, masters students, doctoral students, university lecturers, education and social policy makers, representatives of scientific associations and non-governmental organisations, and all those who are interested in educational research to participate in the 8th Lithuanian Educational Research Association (LERA) conference “Education Uncertainty and Communication Challenges: The Intersection of Past and Future”,   which will be held on 17 and 18 October 2024 and  will take place at the Faculty of Creative Industries of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University ( 1 Trakų  St., 01132 Vilnius).

The variety and abundance of technologies and communication channels raises many questions for education: what and how to teach? How much technology should be included in the educational process? How to engage learners? how to prepare children and young people for the future? how to develop personality? how to communicate? These and similar questions will be addressed during the LERA 2024 conference. The conference will also explore the phenomenon of educational uncertainty and the challenges of communication at the intersection of past and future.
The first day of the conference (17 October) is dedicated to plenary presentations, scientific debates and other general activities. The proceedings will take place at the Faculty of Creative Industries of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (1 Trakų  St., 01132 Vilnius). The second day of the conference (18 October) will be dedicated to breakout sessions. The breakout sessions are planned in two sessions of 1.5 hours each, with oral and poster presentations and discussions. Filming and photography will be available during the event. The deadline for registering for the conference with a paper and, if necessary, adjusting the title of the paper is 30 September 2024. For participants without a presentation, the deadline for registration is 14 October 2024.
Preliminary conference programme: here
Registration link: here

In autumn 2023, the MRU Public Security Academy team launched a project: A developmental and educational platform and gamified tools for training police officers and similar professionals, with respect to communications (KA220-VET – Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training).

The two-year project is coordinated by Mise HERo s.r.o. (Czech Republic). It will include the development and publication on a digital platform of materials, training tools, reference books and other interactive training materials for law enforcement officers on communication, tension management and conflict resolution. The activities of the Czech, Romanian and Lithuanian educators are focused on providing assistance and support to law enforcement officers, whose professional activities nowadays require not only professionalism, but also resilience in a world full of tensions.

We kindly invite you to follow the project news. You are also welcome to contact: [email protected] (project manager VSA). For more information:  https://www.mindsetmentors.eu/pol-com-evropsky-projekt

Congratulations to the new PhD Juozapas Labokas on the successful defence of his doctoral dissertation “Relationship Formation(s) in a Lithuanian General Education School: between Dialogue and Alienation” ((S 007) Education Sciences)”  and  acquiring a PhD degree of Social Sciences in the field of Education. Scientific supervisor  – prof. Lidija Duoblienė (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, S 007).

The dissertation is available in the libraries of Vilnius University, Klaipėda University and Mykolas Romeris University.

The dissertation is available at:

https://is.vu.lt/pls/pub/ivykiai.ivykiai_prd?p_name=44F6901C55C6CF67258A9BE3FE0D5D17/LA…

A brief annotation of  the dissertation is presented below.

Relationship is a topic of existential importance in human life and education. However, when analysing the field of relationship in educational activities, there is a general sense of disengagement, meaninglessness, helplessness and frustration with education. This is referred to in the research literature as alienation at school, which includes negative attitudes towards school and can be expressed in the areas of relationships with teachers, classmates or learning activities. This raises the question of how we might describe the specificity of the alienation relationship at school, i.e. what characterises this relationship? Who creates such a relationship and how? On the other hand, what is the counterpart to alienation that could be a fruitful alternative for the improvement of education today? In this context, a study is being organised to analyse, from the theoretical perspective of Martin Buber and relational pedagogy, the specificity of the student’s relationship with his/her classmates, teachers, and learning activities in cases of (non-)alienation. Moving away from the negative problem of alienation at school, it seeks definitions of the opposite, i.e. a non-alienated or dialogical relationship at school. The study reveals a wide range of relational experiences at school and shows the multiplicity of the relational field. Alienation emerges as a negative, multidimensional and individual phenomenon, while a dialogic relationship is revealed as the mutual ability and willingness of the pupil, the classmates and the teacher to participate in the act of building an interpersonal relationship.

Dissertation Defence Board:

Chairperson – prof. dr. Liudmila Rupšienė (Klaipėda University, Social Sciences, Education – S 007);
assoc. prof. dr. Danutė Bacevičiūtė (Vilnius University, Humanities, Philosophy – H 001);
assoc. prof. dr. Sandra Kairė (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, Education – S 007);
Prof. Arie Kizel (University of Haifa, Social Sciences, Education – S 007);
Prof. dr. Romas Prakapas (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education – S 007).

Congratulations to the new PhD  Simas Garbenis for successfully defending his doctoral dissertation “Emotional Intelligence Development(s) in Physical Education Classes for Primary School Students with Severe Special Educational Needs” (Education Sciences, S007 ) and aquieing  the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences in the field of Education Scence. Scientific supervisor – assoc. prof. dr. Renata Geležinienė (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, Education – S 007). Scientific advisor – assoc. prof. dr. Ieva Kuginytė-Arlauskienė (Vilnius University, University of Applied Sciences of Western Norway, Stord, Social Sciences, Education – S 007).

The dissertation is available at:
Vilnius University, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuanian University of Sport and the VU website at: www.vu.lt/lt/naujienos/ivykiu-kalendorius

The dissertation can be consulted at:

https://is.vu.lt/pls/pub/ivykiai.ivykiai_prd?p_name=89722E9D6C0B6EBA7A7909CE6741C932/GA…

A short annotation is presented below. 

The thesis shows how physical education lessons can develop emotional intelligence traits in primary school pupils with severe special educational needs. The thesis provides an overview of the contemporary approach to emotional intelligence, revealing its theoretical assumptions, relevance and role in everyday life, justifying its developmental potential in relation to the specificities of physical education lessons. In order to identify and analyse the prerequisites for the development of emotional intelligence traits in physical education lessons of primary school pupils with severe special educational needs, a qualitative micro-ethnographic study was carried out using the methods of episodic analysis and reflexive thematic analysis. Analysing the data from a teacher-researcher perspective, it was found that the emotional intelligence traits of pupils with severe special educational needs are developed in physical education lessons during active social interactions. The content of these interactions consists of situational-action-reaction chains, which are different for each emotional intelligence trait. The study reveals that the different situations allow the teacher or classmates to apply the relevant traits revealed in the work, developing methods and tools, also known as actions. These actions describe what was done, how, when and why, and what trait of emotional intelligence was developed. The findings of the study suggest that the process of developing emotional intelligence traits in primary school pupils with severe special educational needs can be effective in physical education lessons, without changing the objectives and focus of the lesson, but through the targeted application of the methods and tools and the creation of the necessary conditions revealed in the study during the interactions with the students.

Dissertation Defense Board:

Chairperson – assoc. prof. dr. Irena Kaffemanienė (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, Education – S 007),
Assoc. prof. dr. Violeta Gevorgianienė (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, Education – S 007),
Prof. dr Irina Klizienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Education – S 007),
Prof. dr. Philip Nordness (University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA, Social Sciences, Education – S 007),
Prof. dr. Diana Rėklaitienė (Lithuanian University of Sport, Social Sciences, Education – S 007).

Congratulations to the new PhD  Lina Pečiulienė on the successful defence of her doctoral dissertation “Becoming a Teacher as an Experience of Professional Identity Formation: ‘I seem to have signed a contract for life…'” (Education Sciences (S 007)) and on the award of a PhD in the field of Education Sciences in the field of Social Sciences. Supervisor – Prof. Remigijus Bubnys (Vilnius University).

The dissertation is available at:

Vilnius University, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuanian University of Sport and the VU website at: www.vu.lt/lt/naujienos/ivykiu-kalendorius

The dissertation is available at: https://is.vu.lt/pls/pub/ivykiai.ivykiai_prd?p_name=AF7302158162240AE6A88872A74A22ED/PE…

Congratulations to the new PhD Zhiyu Yao on a successfull defendce her PhD thesis “Promoting Emotional Expression in Singing Activities for Primary School Schoolchildren” (Education Sciences  (S 007)) and for  acquiring doctoral degree Education Sciences. in the field of Social Sciences.  The scientific supervisor –  prof. dr. Asta Rauduvaitė (Vytautas Magnus University).

A short annotation is  presented below. 

The dissertation  ”Promoting Emotional Expression of Primary School Schoolchildren in Singing Activities” aims to theoretically and empirically uncover the possibilities of promoting emotional expression of third and fourth grade primary school schoolchildren  in singing activities, by explaining how the process of creating emotional expression of primary school schoolchildren  takes place in the music classroom, which helps to involve schoolchildren in the singing activities practice. The qualitative study revealed that the teaching activities are based on teacher-student interaction, where schoolchildren explore the content, develop learning skills and construct knowledge through active engagement in interactive and dialogical interactions with others. Emotional expressions help to communicate emotional information, including a person’s current emotional state, events occurring in the current context, anticipated actions desired by others observing these expressions, and the person’s intentions and plans for possible actions. Singing acts as a creative channel for emotional expression, enabling students to explore different styles of songs, understand different cultures, stimulate critical thinking, experience different emotions and admiration for music, increase self-awareness, and develop musical skills.

Dissertation  Defence Board

Chair – prof. habil. dr. Vilma Žydžiūnaitė (Vytautas Magnus University, Academy of Education, Educational Research Institute, Social Sciences, Education S 007),
prof. dr. Ona Monkevičienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social Sciences, Educology S 007),
prof. dr. Rūta Girdzijauskienė (Klaipėda University, Social Sciences, Educology S 007),
Prof. dr. Diana Strakšienė (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, Education S 007),
Prof. dr Jelena Davidova (University of Daugavpils, Social Sciences, Education S 007).

Vytautas Magnus University, Education Academy, Educational Research Institute is excited to present Research Methodology Workshop!

Date: 1 October, 2024

Author: prof. dr.  Marc Robert Lochbaum (Texas Tech University, JAV)

Title: How to publish an academic manuscript

Language: english and lithuanian.

Time: 09.00 –11.00

Summary:

1. Realize your idea is not unique. Thus, you need to be certain your idea is at least a step beyond the current literature.
2. There is a journal for everyone.
3. What is more important – a high-impact journal or a high-impact manuscript?
4. Your methodology must be understandable and thus repeatable.
5. How many words can you write – the importance of understanding your ability to write?

FEES:

Participation is free for VMU staff, VMU PhD students, VMU Master degree students, VMU Masters.

Outside VMU: 20 eur.

Registration link: https://bit.ly/3XODQ71

Registration is open until 27 th, Septemebr (inclusive), 2024.

Certificates will be available.

Registration fee is expected to pay till 26 September, 2024.

Details for fee transfer:

VYTAUTO DIDZIOJO UNIVERSITETAS

Company code 111950396 in the Register of Legal Entities

Banking information SEB Bank

Account nr. LT917044060003105370

Bank address Gedimino pr. 12, 01103 Vilnius, Lietuva

Bank code 70440

Company code 112021238 in the Register of Legal Entities

SWIFT CBVILT2X

Reason for payment: “ETI metodologinis seminaras, 2024-10-01”

***

Dr. Marc Lochbaum is a Professor of Sports and Exercise Psychology at Texas Tech University in the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management and a chief researcher in the Education Academy at Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania. He attended the University of Illinois, majoring in psychology, and graduated in 1991. He earned his M.S. in Exercise Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1993 and completed his Ph.D. in Exercise Science at Arizona State University in 1998. Dr. Lochbaum started publishing in academic journals in 1993. His first, first author publication (Lochbaum & Roberts, 1993) has been cited continuously since 1994. He is an expert in achievement motivation research, meta-analysis writing, and relationships between sport psychology concepts (such as confidence, self-efficacy) and sport performance.

Information of VMU Education Research Instutute 

Congratulations to the new PhD Danguolė Šakalytė on the successful defence of her PhD thesis on “Integrating Evidence-Based Nursing Education Into Nurse Education in College” (S 007) and acquiring the degree of Doctor of Education in the field of Social Sciences.  The scientific supervisor of the thesis is prof. dr. Valdonė Indrašienė (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007).

The dissertation is available at: https://www.mruni.eu/event

A  brief annotation  of doctoral dissertation  is  presented below. 

This dissertation explores the development and integration of an evidence-based framework for nursing education into collegiate nursing education. This dissertation study is one of the first of its kind in Lithuania to identify important aspects of the perception of evidence-based nursing and to uncover the determinants of the development of an evidence-based nursing education system. Norton’s (2019) concept of pedagogical action research was chosen as an appropriate research strategy for the study due to its emphasis on participation and partnership and its compatibility with not only the essence of the social sciences, but also with the philosophy of nursing.
The study highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of teaching and learning evidence-based nursing, defined the concept of evidence-based nursing through the perspectives of lecturers and students, and highlighted the role of the lecturer in teaching evidence-based nursing to students. The experiences of lecturers and students revealed in the study may serve as a precondition for updating the undergraduate nursing curriculum to focus on the application of evidence-based nursing teaching, and to declare this teaching as the philosophical basis of the nursing curriculum.

Dissertation Defense Board:

Chairperson – prof. dr. Irena Žemaitaitytė (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007).
Prof. dr. Rūta Girdzijauskienė (Klaipėda University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007);
Prof. dr. Natalja Istomina (Vilnius University, Medical and Health Sciences, Nursing, M 005);
Prof. dr. Rita Raudeliūnaitė (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Education, S 007);
Prof. dr. Penney Upton (University of Canberra, Australia, Social Sciences, Psychology, S 006)

The EERA 2025 Summer School “Cultures in Education, Cultures in Research – Education and Research in Cultures” will take place at Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany from 2-6 June, 2025. Chemnitz will be the European Capital of Culture in 2025. The Chemnitz University of Technology, which will host the EERA 2025 Summer School, has therefore decided to focus on the role of “culture” in educational research, policy and practice.

This Summer School will open the ground to the participants to connect the approach of enhancing the awareness of effects or conditions of the cultural context. For this purpose,  it is proud to announce a keynote speech by Prof. Paul Standish (University College of London). Paul Standish is a true leader in philosophy of education and has dealt with the topos of ‘culture’ in his educational works. In their work as educationalists, his input will excite the participants to search for their way to a critical idea of culture as a medium of their research work, of their topic, and, of their faculty.

Applicants are doctoral and research students who primarily come from or study in EERA‘s member countries. Their research must relate to educational research. The summer school aims to support doctoral students interested in bringing participants’ voices and actions to the core of educational research. Preferably the participant should be a PhD/Doctoral student in the first or second year of his/her studies in order to most benefit from the summer school. In some cases, people who already have their PhD can attend the summer school – they should explain in their application how the the summer school would support them in their further research.

Applications will be accepted from 15 November 2024 to 15 January 2025.
Information on admission: 1 March 2025
Registration/payment: 2 – 31 March 2025
Summer School: 2 – 6 June 2025

For more information: here

About Indrė Lebedytė-Mečionienė, winner of the best ERC 2024 poster. 

Indrė Lebedytė-Mečionienė is a PhD student in Educational Sciences at Vilnius University, Lithuania. She explores education both as a researcher and as a practitioner, since she also works as a chemistry teacher.Indre won the Best Poster Award at the Emerging Researchers’ Conference (ERC) 2024 in Nicosia, Cyprus, 2024.  To view the poster ,,The Experiences and Professional Identity Development of Novice Teachers in the Face of Educational Reality of the 21st Century”  click here. 

The poster presents the PhD project “The experiences and professional identity development of novice teachers in the face of the educational reality of the 21st century”. In Lithuania, around 60 percent of teachers are over 50 years old. In the coming years, there should be a significant increase in beginning teachers in schools, and they will be co-creators of future education. There is a lack of knowledge about who they are and how they experience the first years of their profession, which, research suggests, are perhaps the most important in the formation of beliefs (Hong, 2010, Voss and Kunter, 2020).

The research aims to understand how novice teachers experience the reality of education and how this influences their professional identity. This will be a longitudinal qualitative study, based on a conceptual analysis of relevant literature and narrative research (life history research) (Goodson, 1994). Approximately 10 beginning teachers will be followed over a 2.5-year period, with data collected through at least three in-depth interviews with each teacher, as well as personal reports of critical incidents.

For more information about the reseach read here

The EERA Conference was held. 

The EERA conference “Education in an Age of Uncertainty: Memory and Hope for the Future” took place in Nicosia, Cyprus, 26-30 August 2024, and celebrated the 30th anniversary of EERA. Over 2299 participants from 71 countries attended the conference. 1680 papers were presented. Lithuania was represented by about 40 education researchers from various Lithuanian higher education institutions. The Emerging Researchers’ Conference took place on 26-27 August 2024. At the Emerging Researchers’ Conference, future researchers gave presentations and learned from experienced researchers. The EERA main conference took place from 27-30 August 2024. It included presentations and discussions. VU PhD student Indrė Lebedytė-Mečionienė won the Best Poster Award at this conference.

30 August 2024 LERA president dr. Eglė Pranckūnienė and LErA Board Member Prof. Dr. Raimonda Brunevčiūtė conveyed greetings to EERA on the occasion of its 30th anniversary and presented a study on the participation of LERA members in EERA’s conferences at the LERA stand. The next EERA 2025 Conference “Charting the Way Forward: Education, Research, Potentials and Perspectives” will be held in Belgrade, Serbia in September 2025.

For more information on the EERA 2024 conference and a photo gallery, click here

Congratulations to Indrė Lebedytė-Mečionienė on Winning the EERA2024 Best Poster Award!

We sincerely congratulate Vilnius University representative Indrė Lebedytė-Mečionienė on winning the EERA2024 Best Poster Award at the EERA2024 conference. We wish her further creative impulses!

in 2024, on August 26-30, the ECER conference “Education in an Age of Uncertainty: Memory and Hope for the Future” was held in Nicosia, Cyprus. The next EERA conference will be held in 2025. Serbia, Belgrade.

Prof.dr. Raimonda Brunevičiūtė “Developing an EERA Network Identity – NW 20 through the years”

My first experience with EERA and ECER was also my first experience with NW 20 Research in Innovative Intercultural Learning Environment. Back in 2004, NW 20, still in its third year of operation, stood out from other networks with clearly defined research boundaries, and therefore I immediately felt an affinity to it. Today, I would like to reflect on my 20 years of experience as its member and co-convenor.
NW 20 has never limited itself to only one area of education. From the intial two thematic presentation clusters in 2002/3, we have grown to cover over 15, most of them permanent. NW 20 may have appeared to have no face of its own, but the network’s founders, link convenors John Willumsen, Pavla Polechova, and Manfred Bayer, and later co-convenors Tony Cotton and Maria-Angels Subirats de Bayego, were particularly supportive, encouraging, and committed to conveying to younger co-convenors the network’s innovative and intercultural approach. This was the network’s face – dynamic, constantly renewing, accepting, accumulating, and developing new ideas. Openness strengthened the network’s identity and helped to sustain the network and to compete with the great topic diversity of newly emerging networks.

For more information: https://blog.eera-ecer.de/nw-20-through-the-years/